The invention relates generally to improvements in vehicular energy generating systems and more particularly to mechanical means and preferably hydraulic pumps inside its tires for recovering wasted tire flexure energy and putting that recovered energy to useful work.
The prior art has numerous methods for recovering lost tire flexure energy. Most are highly complex, requiring many parts and thus expensive to produce.
U.S. Pat. No. 1,574,095 to Jokisch for an electric generator powered by the vibrations of a vehicle""s body and wheels. Ratchet movements resulting from the vibrations actuating linkages drive the generator.
U.S. Pat. No. 4,061,200 to Thompson uses spring-loaded bellows in the tire to operate a pump to drive a fluid motor.
U.S. Pat. No. 3,699,367 to Thomas uses tire flexure to operate plungers which rotate a cog that turns a generator drive shaft.
U.S. Pat. No. 3,760,351 to Thomas uses a different type of plunger/actuator to turn a generator as a result of tire flexure.
U.S. Pat. No. 5,767,663 to Lu uses a means for more or less straightforwardly inducing current flow in a wire as a result of wheel movement.
The prior art is not confined to the rim of the vehicle wheels. Thus, changing tires and otherwise working upon the wheel is made priorly difficult.
Contrary to the prior art, the instant invention can provide both fluid and electrical power generation in one vehicle both during acceleration and regenerative braking. It is a run-flat type tire that adds safety to the vehicle operation. Both features protect the power generation components of the instant wheel assembly, especially if the tire should fail.